When Cain Dingle and Moira Barton enjoyed passionate secret romps, it was an illicit affair with fatal consequences as it led to the tragic death of her husband, John.

However, it seems that ‘Mucky Moira’ (Natalie J Robb), who recently seduced young farmhand Alex, is quick to forgive. When Cain goes to Butler’s to fix a vacuum packer for his old flame this week, it re-ignites their sizzling sexual chemistry.

After much flirting and teasing, Cain and Moira eventually give in to temptation and tear each other’s clothes off in typically steamy scenes.

We talked to Jeff Hordley, 42, who plays Cain, about their dramatic reunion, spending Christmas with his family and DJ-ing for The Stone Roses...

Cain and Moira have got previous, haven’t they?

Yes, but when they had the initial affair a while back, Moira meant absolutely nothing to Cain. He was in a terrible place after being dumped by Charity and he was going through the women in the village like a steamroller. Cain totally lost the plot and he tore the Barton family apart.

Has Moira forgiven Cain for his part in John’s tragic death?

In Moira’s mind, if she makes things work with Cain this time, John will not have died in vain. It will prove that the original fling she and Cain had was based on something real after all.

What does Moira see in Cain?

She has always appreciated aspects of his personality ?that other people in Emmerdale just don’t see. Right ?now, she’s the ?one person who recognises how torn Cain is between his daughter, Debbie, and his sister, Chas, whom he still cares about despite everything she has done. Cain finds ?it therapeutic to talk to Moira about that stuff.

Do they have a future as a couple?

They’ve always had great chemistry and that’s what draws them back together, but this time Cain is genuinely ready to find a partner. He wants some normality in his life.

The pair of them share a dressing room, so they laugh about it. When I’m acting out a love scene with Natalie, it’s not as if Zoe is stood behind the cameras fuming – she’s probably round at the catering van or something!

Do you prefer the new mature Cain to his old bad boy days?

It’s good that we’re seeing more human qualities to Cain. It makes him more rounded and believable as a character. The dark side will always come out, though. There’s still an edge to him, but it’s not as sharp as before.

Do you think Moira will tame Cain?

It will be interesting to see if he ?really opens himself up to Moira. That would make him vulnerable – but dangerous, too!

Passionate: Cain and Moira get intimate (Image: ITV)

Thanks to the live episode, Emmerdale has won a lot of acclaim recently.

I think our show is on fire at the moment. Emmerdale has always ?been the underdog out of the big soaps. Usually we fly under the ?radar a bit, but I think people are ?recognising that we’re currently doing a great job. I do sense that we are ?hitting a purple patch.

You’re very much a family man away from work, aren’t you?

Yes, myself, Zoe and our two kids Violet, seven, and Stan, four, have just come back from a rainy holiday on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. We really needed the waterproofs for that one. Christmas is coming up, and that’s a special time of year for us as a family. We always have the Christmas Day meal at home. I think Violet wants a bike, while Stan is obsessed with Star Wars Lego.

You like to DJ in your spare time, so how’s that going?

I’m a huge Stone Roses fan and I got to DJ in the VIP tent when they played their gig at Heaton Park in Manchester, which was great fun. I got emotional seeing them play. It was like turning the clock back 20 years to my younger days.